Queen Mary 2 leaves on maiden voyage

Queen Mary 2 leaves on maiden voyage

The Associated Press

*** LONDON -- The world's largest cruise ship, Queen Mary 2, set sail for
the United States on its maiden voyage Monday, carrying 2,600 passengers who
paid up to $48,000 for the privilege.
*** The 150,000-ton Cunard Line vessel left the southern English port of
Southampton on the 14-day journey to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., its first voyage
with fare-paying passengers.
*** Although Cunard has denied reports of a terrorist threat against the
vessel, security was tight and police maintained a high profile.
*** The maiden departure, marked by fireworks and a brass band, was an
hour late.
*** "There was significantly more baggage than we anticipated," Cunard
Line president Pamela Conover said, explaining the delay.
*** As a small flotilla of boats turned out to watch the giant liner pull
away, passengers lining the ship's balconies waved Union Jack flags and
threw streamers.
*** Ceremonies welcoming the vessel to Southampton on Dec. 26 were subdued
out of respect for those killed when a gangway collapsed Nov. 15 at the
shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, where the ship was built.
*** Thousands of people watched last week as Queen Elizabeth II officially
launched the $1 billion ship, which is named for her grandmother Queen Mary,
wife of King George V, who reigned from 1910 to 1936.

*** The new cruise liner took more than five years to build. It is 1,138
feet long and 238 feet high -- as tall as a 21-story building.
*** It will take over the trans-Atlantic duties of the Queen Elizabeth 2
ocean liner.
*** Its 2,600 passengers will have the run of six restaurants, five
swimming pools, an art gallery and a movie theater that doubles as a
planetarium.
*** Fares for Queen Mary 2's fully booked maiden voyage from Southampton
to Fort Lauderdale, began at $4,400 per person for 14 nights and rose to
$48,310.
*** Cunard Lines belongs to the U.S. company Carnival, but sails under the
British flag.
*** The Queen Mary 2's reign as the world's biggest ocean liner is
expected to be brief.
*** Cruise operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. recently confirmed an
order with Finland's Kvaerner Masa-Yards for the Ultra Voyager, which will
accommodate 3,600 passengers and be bigger than the Queen Mary 2.
*** The Ultra Voyager is expected to enter service in 2006.

I wanted to book on QM2 for a cruise this year or in 2005. But I looked
carefully at the sales general conditions:

exemples: 1) tips are a rule on such cruises. Rate is given : 11$/day,
13$ if you travel in a suite.....
2) from 6pm, you have to dress (dark suit for men), and 4 times a week :
tuxedo !!!!!

No thank you.
Alain


"Earl Evleth" a écrit dans le message de news:
...


Queen Mary 2 leaves on maiden voyage

The Associated Press

LONDON -- The world's largest cruise ship, Queen Mary 2, set sail
for
the United States on its maiden voyage Monday, carrying 2,600
passengers who
paid up to $48,000 for the privilege.
The 150,000-ton Cunard Line vessel left the southern English port
of
Southampton on the 14-day journey to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., its first
voyage
with fare-paying passengers.
Although Cunard has denied reports of a terrorist threat against
the
vessel, security was tight and police maintained a high profile.
The maiden departure, marked by fireworks and a brass band, was an
hour late.
"There was significantly more baggage than we anticipated," Cunard
Line president Pamela Conover said, explaining the delay.
As a small flotilla of boats turned out to watch the giant liner
pull
away, passengers lining the ship's balconies waved Union Jack flags
and
threw streamers.
Ceremonies welcoming the vessel to Southampton on Dec. 26 were
subdued
out of respect for those killed when a gangway collapsed Nov. 15 at
the
shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, where the ship was built.
Thousands of people watched last week as Queen Elizabeth II
officially
launched the $1 billion ship, which is named for her grandmother Queen
Mary,
wife of King George V, who reigned from 1910 to 1936.

The new cruise liner took more than five years to build. It is
1,138
feet long and 238 feet high -- as tall as a 21-story building.
It will take over the trans-Atlantic duties of the Queen Elizabeth
2
ocean liner.
Its 2,600 passengers will have the run of six restaurants, five
swimming pools, an art gallery and a movie theater that doubles as a
planetarium.
Fares for Queen Mary 2's fully booked maiden voyage from
Southampton
to Fort Lauderdale, began at $4,400 per person for 14 nights and rose
to
$48,310.
Cunard Lines belongs to the U.S. company Carnival, but sails under
the
British flag.
The Queen Mary 2's reign as the world's biggest ocean liner is
expected to be brief.
Cruise operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. recently confirmed an
order with Finland's Kvaerner Masa-Yards for the Ultra Voyager, which
will
accommodate 3,600 passengers and be bigger than the Queen Mary 2.
The Ultra Voyager is expected to enter service in 2006.

On 14/01/04 11:45, in article , "alain
K." wrote:

exemples: 1) tips are a rule on such cruises. Rate is given : 11$/day,
13$ if you travel in a suite.....

Tips for the personnel is standard. I don`t know how they handle that now.
The problem is the number of people involved, and how they handle that.
On the two Alaskan cruises in think it was a lump sum payment deposited
with the purser.

Years ago, people tipped separately the cabin steward, the table crew
(usually a chief waiter and one other) and when we had our dog with us,
the kennel man.

2) from 6pm, you have to dress (dark suit for men), and 4 times a week :
tuxedo !!!!!

You sure than is not first class?? Tuxes are not the usual item in 2nd
class? If you are going lst class you are traveling with upscale people
internationally. I personally would not feel comfortable with them, these
are people who change their Rolls Royces each year!

The web says you are right, however

"Beyond the few vestiges of snobbishness, as well as a dress code that
includes four formal nights out of six, the QM2 is truly a one-class ship,
with plenty onboard to appeal to passengers across the board. It boasts the
balconied suites, lavish spa and high-tech touches absent on its ancestors"

I assume you can rent a tux on board. Actually, at our daughter's wedding
I thought I looked pretty spiffy in a tux. But my wife and I are not dress
up types like that.

Basically, I am curious about the level of their food. On the SS France,
2nd class was pretty good, at least the level of a three roof hotel pension
in France. The QE2 was so so when we took it, the British do not have the
same reputation with food. Yet when we took the Alaskan Cruises a few years
ago, the food was fairly good. The key problem it to limit one`s intake or
one finishes the trip a couple of kilos heavier and somewhat puffed up.

Earl

2) from 6pm, you have to dress (dark suit for men), and 4 times a week :
tuxedo !!!!!

You sure than is not first class?? Tuxes are not the usual item in 2nd
class?

they are in decent places :-)

If you are going lst class you are traveling with upscale people
internationally. I personally would not feel comfortable with them, these
are people who change their Rolls Royces each year!


Did you know that 75% of all Rolls Royces ever made are still working today
?
Its only the neauvo riche who change them every year - the proper rich still
have their original ones - and a log book with all its journeys :-)

I assume you can rent a tux on board.

Its probably cheaper to buy one - who knows you might wear it again - if you
make the right sort of friends.

Actually, at our daughter's wedding
I thought I looked pretty spiffy in a tux. But my wife and I are not dress
up types like that.


That sounds a bit contradictory - why do you not like to wear suitable
clothes for what you are doing ? - do you walk the streets in your
pyjamas/nightie ? - Or sleep and walk around in the same T-shirt ?

Basically, I am curious about the level of their food. On the SS France,
2nd class was pretty good, at least the level of a three roof hotel
pension
in France. The QE2 was so so when we took it, the British do not have the
same reputation with food.

reputation is usually based on the average level of something - not its best
level.

Yet when we took the Alaskan Cruises a few years
ago, the food was fairly good. The key problem it to limit one`s intake
or
one finishes the trip a couple of kilos heavier and somewhat puffed up.


The portions are usually small but the courses many :-)
The last proper UK cruise I went on dinner was either 6 or 7 courses.

On 14/01/04 12:23, in article ,
"Miss L. Toe" wrote:

That sounds a bit contradictory - why do you not like to wear suitable
clothes for what you are doing ? - do you walk the streets in your
pyjamas/nightie ? - Or sleep and walk around in the same T-shirt ?

Not in a tux. Paris is a relatively information city, one sees people in
the Ritz in their levis!

I am wearing a Sweat Shirt from Arizona right now. I rarely put on a suit
although wear a tie now and then. I have a variety of Greek cotton sweaters
for the Paris winter and a leather coat, plus a Breton fishing cap. I look
like the other vieux cons, les retraités, in Paris. At 72 I am not trying
to impress.

You can see me with my dachshund, Gaston, at

http://homepage.mac.com/evleth/PhotoAlbum8.html


Yet when we took the Alaskan Cruises a few years
ago, the food was fairly good. The key problem it to limit one`s intake
or
one finishes the trip a couple of kilos heavier and somewhat puffed up.


The portions are usually small but the courses many :-)
The last proper UK cruise I went on dinner was either 6 or 7 courses.

I don`t go over three courses. In Paris, I bring my dog and not a doggy
bag for any excess :-)

Earl

Earl
I guess you are a little bit bad about Gaston. Am I right???

Alain

"Earl Evleth" http://homepage.mac.com/evleth/PhotoAlbum8.html

"Miss L. Toe" a écrit dans le message de
news: ...
2) from 6pm, you have to dress (dark suit for men), and 4 times a
week :
tuxedo !!!!!

You sure than is not first class?? Tuxes are not the usual item in
2nd
class?

they are in decent places :-)

If you are going lst class you are traveling with upscale people
internationally. I personally would not feel comfortable with them,
these
are people who change their Rolls Royces each year!


Did you know that 75% of all Rolls Royces ever made are still working
today
?


Am going to do the same with my Renault............

Alain

On 14/01/04 16:48, in article , "alain
K." wrote:

I guess you are a little bit bad about Gaston. Am I right???


?? I am not sure what you mean.

Earl

On 14/01/04 18:29, in article , "Donna
Evleth" wrote:



Dans l'article , Earl Evleth
a écrit :


On 14/01/04 16:48, in article , "alain
K." wrote:

I guess you are a little bit bad about Gaston. Am I right???


?? I am not sure what you mean.

Earl

My guess is that he means you are "mad about" Gaston, which is certainly
true. I can swear to it.

Donna Evleth



The truth is that Gaston gets "mad" at us if we go out for the evening and
do no take him with us!

Tonight we will take him with us.

Tonight it we are going to Garniers for a plateau de fruits de mers.

Wish us "bon apetit"! Thank you.

Earl

Dans l'article , Earl Evleth
a écrit :


On 14/01/04 16:48, in article , "alain
K." wrote:

I guess you are a little bit bad about Gaston. Am I right???


?? I am not sure what you mean.

Earl

My guess is that he means you are "mad about" Gaston, which is certainly
true. I can swear to it.

Donna Evleth